


When they're dancing

by Ruefully_yours



Series: How to Say I Love You? [5]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: F/M, and yes, cross posted on tumblr, huzzah, i just wrote this today, thanks for the motivation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-14 22:48:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29053899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruefully_yours/pseuds/Ruefully_yours
Summary: For all it’s worth, he just want to confess his feelings, dammit!
Relationships: Number Five | The Boy (Umbrella Academy)/Original Female Character(s), Number Five | The Boy (Umbrella Academy)/Reader
Series: How to Say I Love You? [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1675054
Kudos: 24





	When they're dancing

**Author's Note:**

> This prompt is brought to you by R. McKinley of tumblr (you write beautifully, may I just say) and @chickenshit‘s photo edit.  
> Also some reminders:  
> \- Five is eighteen in this fic  
> \- The apocalypse had already happened  
> \- (Spoiler) They are sent back in time  
> And a quick shoutout to my beta. Thank you!
> 
> Prompt 5: Blurt it out in the middle of an impromptu dance party in the kitchen, as clumsy as your two left feet. When time seems to freeze, hastily tack on "in that shirt" or "when you make your award winning meatballs" or, if you are feeling particularly brave, "when we do this." Resume dancing and pretend you don't feel her eyes on you the rest of the night.

Despite her being great at nearly everything, hearing is not one of them. (Which her whole family can attest to. Either because they had to repeat themselves for her to hear them or they had to shout to gain her attention.)

When Five first noticed that trait of hers, he had theorised that she liked to practice selective hearing whenever she’s around people, in which she debunked and confessed that she just liked to crank the volume of her earphones up to its maximum capacity. 

When asked why, she would simply shrug and playfully say that it’s easier to keep people away from her. (Five thinks she just liked internalising the songs she listened to… just like his brother, Klaus, much to his dismay)

Regardless of her quite near deafness, she still liked using earphones whenever she felt like it. Several people had already tried to rid her bad habit by giving her speakers on some occasions but she insisted on using earphones whenever she listened to music. Much louder that way, she would often say. 

And so, it wasn’t a surprise for him to hear faint harmonies of trumpets and cellos as he rounded up the corner of her family’s mansion, finding himself witnessing what seemed to be a private moment for her. 

Now, having grown up under the tutelage of one Reginald Hargreeves- the most stubborn and strict father in the entire universe and maybe even in some parallel and alternate realities too- Five never had the luxury of appreciating the mundane things people speak of. 

It was always training, enhancing his abilities and missions for him. 

And then, there’s that apocalypse mishap. 

In the end, he couldn’t understand what ’ _mundane_ ’ meant. 

…until now. 

There, in the middle of the kitchen she stood, looking as radiant as always- what with her hair thrown lazily in a low ponytail, her eyes still laced with remnants of sleep, and her clothes as ruffled as can be, dancing along to the music in her ears. 

Looking at her now, he would’ve had a hard time telling that she had snuck out in the dead of the night, her inner demons getting the best of her and now here she was, dancing without a care in the world.

_Why was he here anyway?_

_Oh yeah,_ he needed to speak with that brazen older brother of hers. 

He needed to talk to Jack- he really, really needed to talk to her brother- however, for some reason it felt like his feet were glued on the spot, his eyes never leaving her figure as if he was entranced by a fae dancing by the morning light. 

Just as he became in tuned with her presence, he knew that this girl had developed a keen sense of his whereabouts because the next thing he knew, he was being pulled towards her- where on earth did this unnecessary strength come from?- and tugged him into some weird poorly choreographed dance moves. 

He knew that with her upbringing, she excelled in social dancing, the same way Reginald had painstakingly ingrained social dancing upon him and his siblings so why did it feel like she’s been born with two left feet instead?

He had to admit, social dancing is something he has adequate skills in but dancing in general had never been his strong suit and yet, having been pulled into an impromptu dance party, he found himself not hating it. 

It felt silly- him dancing to a faint and almost non-existent music in the middle of someone else’s kitchen but seeing her smiling at him, mouthing the words to the song, and satisfied with him dancing along with her, made everything feel less silly. 

He didn’t know what prompted the feeling- was it her radiant smile? Or the way she closed her eyes as her face morphed into the appropriate emotion to the song she was mouthing to, or the stray melody that would leave her mouth unintentionally or maybe… just the way the situation all felt so raw- so candid to him. 

He just felt the need- the overpowering emotion taking over his system. It’s not like she’s gonna hear the words, right? Afterall, she’s as deaf as she could be.

“I love you,”

There was a sharp intake of breath- one that never came from him but rather from the girl in front of him, her feet skidded slightly from the miscalculated momentum from the sudden halting of her movements, her mouth slightly agape while he scrambled to catch her should she fall. 

He couldn’t have gotten a better timing, as soon as the words left his lips, the faint music he had been hearing disappeared all of the sudden- a sign that her performance had come to an end. 

Grimacing, he let out a residual laugh- one that could be mistaken from his stolen breath. “-r shirt. Is it new?” he added hastily though they both knew it was too late, stumbling on the words and he wasn’t quick enough to salvage his embarrassment. 

Silence engulfed them as she reached out, closing her phone and effectively putting the playlist into pause, tilting her head at him with a smirk playing upon her lips.

“I never thought I’d see the day where dear little Five Hargreeves complimenting my shirt,” she drawled slowly, eyes sweeping over him. “Seriously?”

She’s giving him an out- another chance to compose himself and deny what had been uttered in a moment’s weakness. 

“I love you,” the words came out slow as if he was readying himself to whatever cover he would be spitting out. “For not stomping on my feet like a savage person.” he tried taking on a slightly chiding tone, hoping this time, it would be believable than the first one. 

_Pathetic,_ he wanted to scoff. He’s been saying this phrase for what? Five times now and yet, this girl couldn’t even take a hint. Honestly, is it that hard to believe?

Or maybe he’s not trying hard enough?

She simply stared at him- her eyes seemingly searching for answers, baring his soul easily despite the walls he had built around him. 

She let out a laugh. “Gosh, you’re hopeless,” she stated, reaching for the extra mug she had prepared. “Jack’s waiting for you in the backyard.” she waved at him, pointing him to where her brother is. 

As he took his leave, he couldn’t help but feel a slight pang of remorse.   
**  
**_I love you,_ he wanted to repeat. _I love you so much._


End file.
